1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mixing devices for powdered food products and liquid, and more specifically, to a compact and easily transportable mixing device for efficiently preparing individual serving portions of such products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The advent of powdered food products which must be mixed with a liquid prior to consumption has increased the need for mixing devices capable of thoroughly combing such ingredients. While some powdered food products will readily dissolve in liquid, others require a thorough "whipping" to achieve the desired consistency for the end product mixture of processed powdered food product. Blenders, such as the blenders made by the Oster Corporation of Milwaukee, Wis. will provide adequate mixing. A blender typically has a lower base with a motor mounted therein. A container (which has a plurality of blades rotatably mounted adjacent its lower end) sits on top of the lower base with the blades operably engaged by the motor so that the blades turn within the container when the motor is actuated to mix whatever is within the container. Such blenders are typically relatively large, weighing several pounds and not being easily movable from one place to another, such as from home to office. In addition, the containers employed on such blenders are generally unsuitable for both preparing and serving an individual serving portion of processed powdered food product.
Mixing devices which have been designed for preparing single serving portions of food product mixture include those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,584, granted to Goldfarb on Nov. 15, 1966, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,123 and granted to Tomlinson on Oct. 27, 1964. The Goldfarb patent discloses a manually operated stirrer for preparing children's drinks, and which has a recognizable object mounted on the upper end of a rotating shaft extending into a container. When a crank is actuated, the stirrer and object turn together to the amusement of the child. The Tomlinson patent shows a frozen material shaving and mixing apparatus, primarily for use with ice cream, which is also manually operated. The rotating shaft of this device is spring loaded downwardly from its cover to press upon the ice cream or frozen product in the bottom of the container and has blades formed to shave frozen product as the shaft is rotated by hand. Neither of the devices shown in these two patents is capable of producing the suitable mixing force required to produce the desired consistency for many modern powdered food products.
The mixer shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,749,098, granted to Johnson on June 5, 1956, has the same drawback. The Johnson device has a container with an open upper end with a cap sealably fitted over that upper end. A plurality of beaters are rotatably mounted to the cap to extend into the container when the cap is secured thereto. The beaters are rotated by a feed screw which is manually moved up and down through the cap. The beaters of this device simply do not attain sufficient rotational speed and movement to mix powdered food product and liquid to its desired consistency. U.S. Pat. No. D 95,559, granted to Vogel on May 7, 1935, does show a beverage mixer with a motor positioned above the container for driving a shaft which extends downwardly into the containing and has mixing blades at a bottom thereof. No cover is provided for the container shown in the Vogel design patent, however, so that liquid may splash out during mixing or transport. In addition, the blade formation shown in this device would not produce the necessary and thorough agitation needed to properly process many modern powdered food products.
None of the prior art mixing devices provides a suitable arrangement for preparing individual serving portions of powdered food product and liquid. Preferably, a person may want to place the liquid and powdered food product in the container of a mixing device in the morning but not mix the two ingredients for consumption until lunchtime. In the meantime, the mixing device and ingredients therein may be transported from one place to another, such as from home to work. None of the prior art devices provide a mixing device which can sealably contain the ingredients prior to and after mixing and can produce the desire consistency of processed food product once mixing is performed.